Bbttge cqnxlin



B. CONKUN, ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28| 191 I.

' Patented Dec. 30,1919. F161. 111.314 s 12141311 sra'rns Para nien..

` BRUCE CONKLIN, OF LONDN, ENGLAND.

ROTARY ENGINE. i

`1,326,252. specification of Lettersratent. l l patentd Dec, 30, 1919i, Application mee september Y28, 1917. serial No. 193,677( i `To all whom t may 'concern kBe it known that I, BRUCE CoNKLrN,a citizen of the United States of America, residing at London, in the county `of Middle seX, i ngland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in and Relating to Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification. v l

This invention has reference to rotary engines, pumps, compressors, and like `devices' of the kind comprising concentrically mounted elements relatively movable in an `angular direction one of said elements having a plurality of varies and otheror others of said elements a plurality 4of rotary abutmeiits the annular space or spaces between l the elements constituting the Working chamber or chambers. The` primary object of the present invention is to provide improved means for maintaining a fluid-tight joint between certain of the moving parts in contact lduring running. Further objects are to eliminate any tendency on the part `of the aforesaid rotary abutments to move laterally or partake of an uneven torque during running, to -minimize friction `be-` tween the ends ofthe rotary abutments and Vthe element in which they are mounted, to provide for efficient lubrication of the parts and generally to improve .the construction n and mounting of certain-parts of a rotary engine of the afore-mentioned type Wherebythe engines may be rendered more .eilicientin operation.

\ More. particularly a the invention is: designed to provide improvementsin the construction and `operation of rotary engines, Aumps, compressors,and like devices of the liind described in my, prior `specilications Serial Numbers 153.903 and 153904 and reference to such specifications Will lfacilitate l the ready understanding of the presentim- `provements, although l do notdesire to be understood as limiting the present invention to the engines described `as it` is equally applicable lto engine-s of the rotary abut- .ment and annular chamber type provided With morethan one annular Working chamlOeI. i

With the afo-resaid objects in View and such others as may hereinafter appear or are incidental thereto my invention inits broadest -aspect may be said to be embodiedin a construction of the aforesaid kind in which the rotary abutmentslare arranged in such a manner that theends` thereof are embraced Abyor housed in a portion of; the element in Which they are rotatably `mounted While the pocket in each of said abutments which allovvs the vanes of the `rotating concentrically mounted element topa'ssfrom one side of said a'butments to the'other during rotation tight joints between the moving parts in contact during running and in the provision of l nnproved means for insuring adequate lubrication of the moving parts.

In orde-r that my invention may be readily understood and carried into effect by those skilled in the art to which it appertains, I Will now proceed to describe the saine fully Wit-h reference to the accompany-ing drawings in which:

yFigure l illustrates in vertical section a rotary steam engine embodying the present invention. e

Fig. :2 is a section of the inner drum.

i Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal section of one of `the rotary abutmeiits.

Fig a is a fragmentary sectional view, showy-ing a plurality of abutineiitsfand a plurality of vanes.

In that embodiment `of the invention illustrated the drum A. (Fig. 2) is cast in tvvo parts l and?` and bolted together accurate registration being insured by a spigot 3 and the construction is such that a recess i is formed around `theffper'ipheryof the drum which recess constitutes the annular Workclianiber when the drum is in position Y Within lthe `outer casing 5 (Fig. l).

ThedrumA is recessed at a'plurality of points to accommodate a plurality of rotary abutments 6 to be hereinafter described one `of saidrecesses being shown at `7 (Fig. 2)

`and it will be vobserved that when the rotary abutments 6 (Fig. l) are -iii position the ends thereof are embraced by and housed in the side Walls a` `and Z) of the drum A in contradistinction to `the arrangement illustrated.

in my prior specification above referred to Where a portion of the ends of the rotary abutments Were in contactl with the outer rotating casing` lWith'the consecuenf-e that a considerable amount of friction yoccurred between `theends of the rotary abutments and the rapidly rotating Voutercasing.

I1 By the menas hereinbefore detailed this friction is largely reduced as the rotary abutments turn in Contact with the stationary sides a and b of the drum A. Moreover by forming the annular working chamber l in the periphery of the drum A and embracing the ends of the abutments by the side walls constituting such working chambers losses due to leakage of the working fiuid will be reduced to a minimum.

The construction of the rotary abutments 6 which are mounted in `the recesses 7 will be best understood by referring to Fig. 3 which represents a longitudinal section through one of said abutments. It will be seen that the pocket 8 therein which allows the vane 9 (Fig. 1) to pass from one side of the abutment to the other during rotation of the outer' casing 5 extends from side to side of the main body c of the abutment as is the case in the construction described in my aforesaid prior specilications but according to the present invention there is secured to each end of the main body c a disk 10 so that the ends of the pocket 8 are closed and as a consequence thereof leakage of working fluid past the end of the vanes during their passage through the pocket is largely prevented.

To still further reduce losses of working fiuid duringruiming or' the engines I provide packing strips or piston rings 11 (Fig. l) which are located in recesses on the periphery of the drum A and these strips or rings project over the annular edges of the rotary abutments 6 as clearly shown in Fig. l. Each of the vanes 9 is also provided with a packing strip 12 having flanges 13 abutting on the strips or rings 11 and maintained in contact therewith by spring bolts 14- or the like while springs llocated in housing in the vane 9 operate to keep the strip 12 in contact with the ends of the pockets 8 constituted by the disks 10.

A duct 16 (Fig. 1) is formed in the drum A through which suitable lubricant may be supplied in any appropriate manner and other chiots 17, 18 and 19 serve to conduct said lubricant to the bearings 'of the rotary abutments and to the piston rings l1 from which it linds its way to the pocket 8 to lubricate the vane. The disks 10 may be recessed as shown at cl in Fig. 3 or concentric or other grooves may be provided therein to allow the lubricant supplied to the rings 11 toucreepbetween the disks 10 and the walls of the drum with which they are in contact.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a rotary engine, pump, compressor or like device the combination with an outer normally rotatable casing an inner normally stationary drum and an annular working chamber between the proximate surface of the casing and drum of a plu rality of vanes in the outer casing traversing the said annular working chamber a plurality of rotary abutments mounted in said stationary drum,` side walls on said drum extending to meet said outer casing and inclose-the said annular chamber so as to house and embrace the ends of the said rotary abutments, a pocket in each of the said rotary abutments to receive the vanes and allow the latter to pass from the one side of said abutments to the other during the working of' the engine, closing means at each end of said pockets, means for introducing working fluid to the interior of the drum and to the annular working chamber and means for eX- hausting the low pressure Huid therefrom.

2. In a rotary engine, pump, compressor or like device the combination with an outer no 1mally rotatable casing, an inner normally stationary drum and an annular working chamber between the proximate surfaces of the said casing and drum, of a plurality of liXed vanes in the inner side of the outer casing traversing the said annular working chamber, a plurality of rotary abutments mounted in said stationary drum, side walls on said drum extending to meet the said outer casing and inclose the said annular chamber so as to house and embrace the ends of the said rotary abutments, a pocket in each of said rotary abutments to receive the vanes and allow the latter to pass from the one side of said abutments to the other during the working of the engine, a plate having grooves or channels on the outer face at each end of the said pockets for closing the same, means for introducing working fluid to the interior of the drum and to the annular working chamber and means for exhausting the low pressure fluid therefrom.` v

3. In a rotary engine, pump, compressor or like device, the combination with an outer normally rotatable casing having a plurality of vanes, of an inner normally stationary drum having a plurality of rotary abutinents, an annular working chamber in the periphery of said drum, a plurality of rotary abutmeiits mounted with their ends embraced by the walls of the drum forming the annular working chamber, a pocket in each of said rotary abutments, means for closing the ends of said pockets, piston rings on said drum cooperating with the casing and the edges of said rotary abutments to maintain a fluid tight joint, means for the introduction of working fiuid to the annular working chamber, and means for eX- hausting the low pressure working fluid.

4l. In a rotary engine, pump, compressor or like device, the combination with an outer normally rotatable casing having a plurality of vanes, of an inner normally stationary drum having a plurality of'` rotary abutinents, an annular working chamber in the periphery of said drum, a plurality of rotary abutments mounted With their ends embraced by the Walls of the drum form-v ing thev annular Working chamber, apocket in each of said rotary abutments, means for closing the ends of said pockets, piston rings on said drum cooperating With the outer casing and the edges of said rotary abutments to maintain a fluid tight oint, a packing strip in each of said vanes coperating with the piston rings to maintain a fluid tight joint between the outer casing, the inner drum, the rotary abutments and the vanes and means for the introduction of Working fluid to the annular Working cham! ber and means for exhausting the lovv pressure Working fluid. v

5. In a rotary engine, pump, compressor or like device, the combination with an outer normally rotatable casing having a plurality of vanes, of an inner normally stationary drum having a plurality of rotary abutments, an annular Working chamber in the periphery of said drum, a plurality of rotary abutments mounted With their ends embraced by the Walls of the drum forming the annular Working chamber, a pocket in each of said rotary abutments, means for closing the ends of said pockets, piston rings on said drum coperating With the outer casing and the edges of said rotary abutments to maintain a fluid tight joint, a packing strip in each of said vanes coperating With the piston rings to maintain a fluid tight joint between the outer casing, the inner drum, the rotary abutments and the vanes and means for exerting pressure on said piston rings and packing strips and means for the introduction of Working fluid to the annular Working chamber and means for exhausting the loiv pressure Working fluid.-

6. In a rotary engine, pump, compressor or like device, the combination With an outer normally rotatable casing having a plurality of vanes, of an inner normally stationary drum having a plurality of rotary abutments, an annular Working chamber in the periphery of said drum, a plurality of rotary abutments mounted With their ends embraced by the Walls of the drum forming the annular Working chamber, a pocket in each of said rotary abutments, means for closing the ends of said pockets, piston rings on said drum cooperating with the outer casing and the edges of said rotary abutments to maintain a fluid tightjoint, a packing strip in each of said vanes cooperating with the piston rings to maintain a Huid tight joint between the outer casing, the inner drum, the rotary abutments and the vanes and means for exerting pressure on said piston rings and packing strips, means for introducing lubricant to the bearings of the rotary abutments the vanes and the piston rings and means for the introduction of Working fluid to the annular Working chamber and means for exhausting the lovv pressure Working fluid.

BRUCE CONKLIN. 

